


The World Is Not a Wish Granting Factory

by Anonymous43



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-09-06
Updated: 2013-09-06
Packaged: 2017-12-25 18:35:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,894
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/956370
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Anonymous43/pseuds/Anonymous43
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A Ziam one shot in which: Liam is thrown aside and forgotten and Zayn is a quick thief.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The World Is Not a Wish Granting Factory

Liam is the youngest of seven, thrown aside and forgotten. Having five older brothers and a sister really starts to wear down on you, especially at times like these. There is never enough food or clean water, and more often than not Liam goes to bed with an empty stomach and a feeling of sadness swelling over him. He’s only six when he starts to wonder why the world is grey, and how it somehow continues to spin even though people are so unhappy. He asks his Ma one day and she says, “The world is not a wish granting factory,” Liam takes to words to heart and decides that maybe the world is just supposed to feel dull and meaningless like this.

  
He gets a job in the factory when he turns nine, and his older brother Louis guides him there and puts the little cap on his head, “Now listen Liam, do what the boss says, okay? And be careful with the big machines. Sometimes your hands and feet can get caught in ‘em and they hurt real bad, got it?” Liam nods and then gets pushed into the factory and grouped with a bunch of other boys his age. They do the meticulous tasks that can only be accomplished with small fingers and good eyes. One of the boys named Niall tells Liam that the jobs can actually be fun if you attempt to make it that way [but Liam doesn’t understand how any of this could be fun]

  
They get a five minutes break and Liam finds Louis and asks, “When do we get lunch? Can we eat lunch?” Louis shakes his head and gives Liam a stern look as if to say, don’t you ever ask a question like that again. So Liam decides that you aren’t allowed to eat at the factory. At least, not at times like this.

  
A week later Liam gets his first pay. A few small coins that are shiny and new looking. Liam smiles and looks all proud and when he is walking home with Louis he shows them to his him with a smile. Louis grins and nods and pats him on the back, “You give the money to Ma and Pa so we can eat,” Liam doesn’t quite understand why his money is going to his family and not just him. But since Louis always knows what he is doing and is five years older than him, he listens anyway.

  
It goes like that for awhile and Liam gets more and more tired as his shifts get longer and longer, and sometimes he even has to stay later than Louis. One day Niall is working with him and gets his arm stuck in one of the machines. He screams bloody murder and cries and tells Liam to, “Shut da damn machines off now! Li, please!” But Liam doesn’t know how, and he isn’t sure what he should do. There is so much blood and Liam runs to the boss and mutters, “His hands stuck, sir! You gotta do somethin’ quick!” There are so many tears and sobs filling the concrete room.

The boss does nothing. He only walks over to Niall and grabs his small pale body, pulling him roughly out of the machine. [he doesn’t bother turning it off. That would slow production] That’s the day Liam watches Niall lose his left hand for good. In the next week or so, Niall stops coming to work all together and so does Louis. His Ma and Pa say that he’s too big for factory work anymore and now he has to something even more useful.

  
Liam works in the factory for six more years, and now he’s fifteen and there aren’t too many jobs for him. He’s too small for manual labor [he needs more muscle if he wants to do that] and he is too big for his old job at the factory. When Louis turned this age he got sent away. Liam never asks where because his parents cry whenever they talk about it. [the rest of Liam’s older brothers all work on a farm. At least that’s what his Pa says] So Liam doesn’t know what they are going to do with him until one day his Ma says, “He’s the handsomest of all of our kin. Why don’t we set him out to court a young lady?” There is something about the way his Ma talks that makes Liam uncomfortable. What if Liam doesn’t want to court a lady? “He could go work in town at the barber shop or something and try to start a better life there. Find a lady, marry, and settle down. What d’you think?”

  
His Pa doesn’t answer but the next day they are sending him off on foot, with a rucksack filled with a loaf of bread and some black berries [there is also a canteen of water but Liam knows it won’t last long]

  
Liam has never been into town before, because whenever his Pa would go he would always take the older kids with him. Liam supposes that this is finally his chance to do something with his life. After all, even his parents won’t be watching over him anymore. So he walks with a hop in his step and a gleam in his eye. It takes him a few days to get into town by foot, and on the last morning of travel he is stopped by a curly haired boy who is about his age and surrounded by friends. He spits on the dirt and grins wickedly, “Who’re you?”

  
“I’m Liam Payne,” Liam says, taking a step back. He’s a little unsure of the rowdy group in front of him. This doesn’t feel safe.

  
“Liam, eh?” The curly haired one smirks, “I’m Harry, and these are my boys,”

  
Liam eyes all of the ‘boys’. They are stronger than Liam. Bigger. They look like they have been fed well their whole lives and Liam wonders if they ever had to work in a factory like he did. Liam tightens his grip on his rucksack and side steps in attempt to walk around them, “It was nice meeting you,” He says politely. But of course it doesn’t work. Harry grabs the rucksack and pulls it away from Liam as if the other boy wasn’t even touching it. He throws it to the goons behind him who immediately open it and eat the remains of his food. Liam whimpers and drops his head in submission. He’s never been good at sticking up for himself. [he has been stepped on his whole life]

  
“Want to come with us, Liam?” Harry asks, “We have more food back at camp and a spot for you in the group if you wannit,”

  
Liam shifts on his feet and tries to decide whether the offer is as good as it sounds. Then he thinks about his parents. His family. His older brothers and sisters who are all gone. He decides that maybe for once he should try something new and go off the path he was intending, “Okay,” He tries to smile at Harry.

  
Harry pats his back and cheers, and the boys give him a few of the blackberries back as they head of down the dirt path towards a small camp fire gleaming in the distance. It takes a long time to arrive, but when they do, Liam realizes what these boys really are. Thieves. Bandits. Good for nothing scum. Liam kind of feels sick to his stomach because it’s totally not fair. Liam has done nothing but good things his whole life and has nothing. But these stealing, lying, cheating scoundrels have everything you could ever imagine. They introduce themselves, Harry, Ed, Josh, Peter, Jonathan, Mickey, Ethan, and, “Niall?” Liam asks.

  
Sure enough, it’s Niall. The cute small blonde from the factory who is missing his left hand. He has gotten a lot bigger, a lot happier looking, and his eyes shine brightly, “Liam! Mate, it’s so good ta see you again!” They shake hands and Niall pulls Liam in for a hug. Liam doesn’t protest. The human contact feels nice.

  
So Liam figures out how they work. It’s simple really. They take daily trips into town and take what they can. He figures out that Harry is in charge, and that Niall often plays the poor innocent boy in need of food or money [people feel bad for the boy who doesn’t have a left hand] He also figures out that there is one boy who makes night runs, and he is currently missing. “So, he’s in town right now?” Liam asks. He is seated on a wooden log that is set up around the bonfire. He feels warm and comfortable, and he swears that he just woke up an hour ago. [but its already getting dark]

  
“Yeah,” Harry says putting a tin can over the fire, “Zayn is our best and fastest. He can even sneak into some people’s houses. He can pick locks. God bless ‘im,”

Liam thinks that this boy sounds intriguing and really cool. He comes up with this whole story for him in his mind.

  
They let Liam sleep on Zayn’s blanket that night [under this tent like structure made from wooden planks and a tarp] The blanket smells amazing, and Liam closes his eyes and inhales the scent deeply. Surely the boy didn’t smell that good, right?

  
It’s the middle of the night when there is a hand on Liam’s neck, pushing, and pushing, and cutting off his breathing and making his lungs scream for air. Liam’s hands fly to his neck and desperately attempt to pull the hands off of him. His eyes snap open and he finds himself gazing at the most perfect face he has ever seen and if he wasn’t already struggling for air it would have taken his breath away.

  
“Who are you?” The tan and shadowy figure asks. Liam is squirming, feeling light headed, about to pass out under this perfect creature who is looking so amazing in the light of the dying fire.

  
Liam tries to say his name, but can’t and he is really about to pass out when, “Zayn, drop him,” It’s Harry. Zayn’s hands disappear immediately and Liam chokes on air and falls back onto the blanket. He can already feel the bruising around his neck start to form. “That’s Liam. He’s joining us from now on,”

  
Zayn nods obediently, but Liam notes how his nostrils flare out like he’s annoyed. Once Harry is gone and back to his sleeping area Zayn says, “If any more stupid boys join us then we are going to get caught because ignorant boys like you,” Zayn pauses and looks right into Liam’s eyes, “Don’t understand that life isn’t a wish granting factory,”  
And suddenly, Liam feels like he is six again and his Ma is telling him those exact words. Liam smiles and Zayn says, “Are you crazy? I just called you stupid and ignorant and you’re smiling. Now move you arse out of my way. I’m tired from running and need sleep. You can take that patch of dirt over there,”

  
Liam does as he’s told.

  
When he wakes up the next morning the others are gathered around a newly built fire and Zayn is there, eating from a small clear container. Liam doesn’t know what he’s eating but it smells really good, and he walks over to Zayn and sits beside him, “Can I have some?”

  
Zayn squints and looks into Liam’s eyes, really taking in the other boy now that it’s sunny out and they can really see each other properly, “Depends, you have to repay me somehow,”

  
“Okay,” Liam agrees, because he is so hungry and he would do anything to share with Zayn and let Zayn accept him into his pack. [accept him as a friend, Liam just wants someone to accept and care about him. After all, his parents never did. No one ever has.]

  
“How about you blow him!” Harry yells from behind them. Liam’s eyes widen because he doesn’t know what that means, but Zayn shakes his head no and puts his arm around Liam’s shoulders gently.

  
“How about you become my sidekick, yeah? Come into town with me at night so I don’t have to go alone,” Zayn seems so much gentler than last night. [it’s because of how beautiful and soft Liam really is]

  
“Okay,” Liam says obediently.

“Good boy,” Zayn smiles, “Now here,”

  
Zayn and Liam spend the rest of the morning eating the egg and ham mix out of the small tin can and sitting closer together than Liam has ever sat to anyone. Afterwards Zayn leads Liam to the river, and tells him to bathe. Liam obeys and then Zayn gets him a new set of clothes that are a little too big for Liam [but they work for now]

  
“How old are you?” Zayn asks later as they watch Harry and Ed play a game of kick the can.

  
“Almost 16,” Liam says, his eyes big and wide. Zayn smiles at how precious Liam really is and then nods. “You?”

  
“17,” Zayn smiles, “I’m older. That’s why I’m in charge,”

  
Liam doesn’t argue.

  
So Zayn and Liam become a unit, moving as one. That night they make their first run into town, and Zayn shows Liam how to pick pocket and even get into the town supply dock [where they take most of their loot] Liam carries it all on his back and shoulders on the way back, and even though Zayn kind of feels bad making Liam do all the work, it’s nice to have someone to help for one. He likes this. [being in charge]

  
Over the next month everything is flawless. Liam and Zayn make the best team. Liam is so much happier here than anywhere else. He’s happier than he has ever been. Sometimes at night, Zayn even let’s Liam lay next to him on his blanket. [Liam is too afraid to ask for his own, plus, he doesn’t mind when Zayn wraps him up in his arms.

  
And then one night, Zayn and Liam break into a house on the edge of town. They take from the kitchen, the closets, and just as they are about to leave, Liam trips on a chair leg and falls, making so much noise and surely waking the inhabitants of the house. Zayn gives him a nasty look and then grabs his wrist and pulls him from the house. Behind them are screams of, “Thieves!” and “Get the gun!”

  
It’s really scary, and Liam has never been in a life or death situation before. Zayn grabs him and pulls him along so fast that Liam is tripping, and he feels like crying just because he knows that Zayn is mad at him. And after all this time, Liam finally thought that Zayn was going to like him, and be his friend.

  
“You little shit!” Zayn exclaims as they escape out of town and into the darkness, “You almost got us killed,”

  
They hide behind a large tree to catch their breath, “I’m so sorry,” Liam sobs, “Please don’t be mad. Please, I’m sorry,”

  
Zayn just shakes his head and pulls Liam into action again, “It’s fine, Li. Let’s just get back to camp,”

  
The next morning Liam sobs in Zayn’s arms as they lay beside each other on their blanket. Zayn takes awhile to wake up, but when he does, he gently caresses Liam’s cheek, “What’s wrong, babe?”

  
“I’m sorry about…last night,” Liam says, “I get it if you don’t want me to be your partner anymore,” Zayn smiles and does something he has never done before. He leans forward and kisses Liam’s cheek. Liam’s eyes widen he says, “How come you did that?”

  
Zayn chuckles, “Is it okay if I kiss your cheek like that Liam?”

  
Liam nods, “But why?”

  
“I think you’re cute,”

  
“…but you are supposed to think that about a lady and court her,” Liam points out. After all, that’s what his parents told him before he left.

  
“I like to do things different. The others steal during the day, I at night. They like ladies, I like blokes,”

  
“Like me?” Liam asks innocently. Zayn smiles and leans in, kissing Liam again, this time on the lips.

  
“If you’re okay with it,” Zayn says.

  
Liam nods and smiles. Because Zayn has been so good to him, and no one has ever treated him the way Zayn does. Even when Liam screws up, Zayn still holds him close and lets him sleep on his blanket with him at night.

  
So Zayn leans in and kisses Liam on the lips. Liam is still naïve and awkward, but Zayn doesn’t mind and pulls away with a grin, “So this is good?”

  
Liam giggles and pulls Zayn towards their blanket so maybe they can cuddle a little bit. Liam likes the way Zayn makes him feel special and wanted and different. He likes the way that he doesn’t feel like silly little Liam anymore. He likes that he isn’t neglected and thrown to work in the factory.

  
Liam just likes Zayn, and everything that comes with him.

  
[especially the way Zayn thinks about him all the time, even when they are apart]

 

 

 


End file.
